Search - Noam Pikelny :: In the Maze

Hip, yet very approachable, Newgrass

Jan P. Dennis | Monument, CO USA | 11/05/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"You've got to respect Noam Pikelny. On his debut disc he features the crème de la crème of modern bluegrass musicians: David Grier, maybe the greatest flat-picking guitarist ever (pace the late great Clarence White) and Matt Flinner, probably the best young mandolin player on the scene today. I'm not familiar with fiddler Gabe Witcher, but he also makes a huge impression.



That leader Pikelny can hang with these dudes speaks volumes about his place in the pantheon of modern bluegrass practitioners.



And, not doubt about it, he can more than hang, both from the standpoint of shear musicianship as well as compositional excellence. All the tunes are his, and each not only exudes an entirely authentic, though by no means static, understanding of the bluegrass aesthetic; they all come across as creative extensions of the tradition.



Certainly one of the most exciting discs to come out of the Newgrass movement, this music should be heard by anyone who has even the slightest affinity for creatively reconfigured traditional Appalachian stylings."

One of the best acoustic instrumental albums of any genre.

Henry | Teaneck, NJ USA | 01/05/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This album transcends bluegrass but preserves a distinctly American flavor of music.

Each song on the album is a great composition and the group's playing on all instruments is outstanding.

This is clearly one of the finest instrumental albums of any genre.

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